


A Glimpse Into Life

by madamewriterofwrongs



Series: Tumblr Posts [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Advice, Big Sisters, Carla is an Angel, Childish Antics, Christmas Fluff, Comfort, F/F, F/M, Family fun, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fun, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Injury, Light Angst, M/M, Maddie Buckley is a Good Sister, Marriage Proposal, Miscarriage, Missing Loved Ones, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Proud Wife, Self-Doubt, Soft Eddie Diaz, Surprise Party, Troubling Phone Call, familiar love, fmk, supportive spouse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:41:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25254028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamewriterofwrongs/pseuds/madamewriterofwrongs
Summary: A Series of 9-1-1 Week 2020 PromptsLittle glimpses into the lives of the FireFamEach chapter will have its own rating/tags
Relationships: Eddie Diaz & Carla Price, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Henrietta "Hen" Wilson/Karen Wilson, Maddie Buckley & May Grant, Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han
Series: Tumblr Posts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875451
Comments: 21
Kudos: 124
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	1. "Wanna Bet?"

**Author's Note:**

> These were all originally posted on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/madamewriterofwrongs/blog/madamewriterofwrongs) for 911 Week 2020. Hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wanna Bet?" + Fluff
> 
> Characters: Harry, Denny, and Christopher 
> 
> CHRISTMAS PARTY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No content warnings

“Are you sure they’re here?”

Denny pulled open the bottom cabinet drawer of the station’s kitchen island, poking his head around. So far, he hadn’t found what he was looking for and he was starting to think it wasn’t here.

Harry, closing another drawer in quiet frustration, shook his head. “They’re not at the house so they’ve gotta be here.”

That made the most sense. He’d searched every inch of his house and Denny and Christopher both swore that they’d searched theirs. No such luck. It had to be at the station. So they kept going.

Harry called out in a loud whisper “Christopher is anyone coming?” and looked around the counter at their co-conspirator who was deliberately sitting at the dining table. From there, he could see anyone coming up either set of stairs and warn the boys of any impending attack.

“Not yet” the boy called back with the subtlety only a nine-year-old could manage. Below them, their parents and parents’ friends were talking and laughing, sharing drinks and food and generally having a good time. It had been ten minutes and no one had come looking for them. Yet. They’d have to hurry.

“Keep looking,” Denny ordered, already moving towards the next cabinet. A moment later, he triumphantly called out “I found them!”

Christopher and Harry both turned in unison. “Shh!” Denny winced but nodded that he would keep quiet.

“I found them” he exclaimed again with much more restraint. There was much to celebrate. Inside the corner cabinet of the kitchen, Denny pulled out several boxes carefully wrapped with bows and tags written with familiar handwriting.

Harry helped him pull out the boxes, all the while searching for his name. “I told you they were here. I get to peek first.”

“Someone’s coming.” They heard Christopher’s warning just in time to duck behind the kitchen island and hug as many of the boxes against their chests as they could. They didn’t have to look to recognize the voice of Christopher’s father.”

“Christopher what are you doing up here by yourself?” Eddie looked around. “Where are the other boys?”

The young boy froze for a moment, trying to think of a way to help his friends without lying to his father. “I wanted to ask you a question.”

“What?”

“Can you show me how to turn on the siren on the truck?”

Eddie laughed but ultimately nodded, grabbing Christopher’s crutches so they could descend the stairs together. “I’ll show you how to turn the lights on, how’s that?”

As soon as Eddie and Christopher were out of sight, Denny and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. They were out of the danger zone and their fellow snoop had made the ultimate, noble sacrifice.

“Boys, what are you doing hiding in the kitchen?” They jumped out of their skin when Athena’s voice appeared on the other side of the island. They’d been so focused on watching Christopher lead his dad in one direction that they’d missed Athena sneaking in behind them.

Harry put on his best smile – the kind that got him an extra helping at his grandmother’s. “Nothing.”

“Uh huh.” His mother was not Gigi, and she did not look impressed by his attempt. “What’s that in your hand?”

Right. The pile of boxes they were currently surrounded by. They couldn’t exactly deny the evidence in front of them. “Christmas presents?”

Athena shook her head disapprovingly. “Harry Grant, did you sneak away from the Christmas party to go looking for the presents that you were going to be opening in an hour?”

Harry sunk back against the counter. “Yes.”

“And did you recruit Denny and Christopher to help you?”

Denny ducked a little lower but still made a valiant effort to help his friend. “I offered, ma’am. So did Christopher. It was actually a contest to see who could find them the fastest. Christopher got to go second since he was lookout.”

“How generous of you.” She rolled her eyes but her expression softened instead of continuing to scold the boys. It was Christmas after all. “Now get downstairs before your mom starts to wonder where you went.”

Denny dropped his treasure and ran down the stairs, abandoning Harry to the knowing glare of his mother. She shooed him away as well, watching her son scramble after his friends instead of staying behind for a lecture he knew would be coming later.

Athena shook her head as she caught sight of the three of them gathered around the firetruck. Eddie was showing Christopher what all of the buttons did (carefully avoided any that made noise, since they were in the closed-in fire station). They were snickering and whispering together, already forgetting the terror of being caught.

And now there were boxes of unopened presents scattered across the corner of the kitchen, left for someone else to clean up. With an exasperated sigh, Athena began to grab the empty boxes.

“Was I right?” Bobby joined her a moment later, piling the gifts onto the island as a team.

“Yes, they found the decoy present as you predicted.” As if they would make those gifts _that_ easy for them to find. She knew very well what Harry had been up to all week; searching for the gifts the crew’s children would be opening at the party. She also had a sneaking suspicion that he couldn’t wait to open whatever he’d gotten and would go looking for it. What she hadn’t predicted was Harry roping the slightly younger boys into helping him.

She looked out at their smiling faces and paused. They looked joyful; happy young boys who would grow up too soon. Bobby followed her gaze with a playful smirk. “Should we be worried that the three of them are conspiring together?”

If only it were that simple. She was mostly very happy that Harry had found friends around his age who understood the dangerous lives their parents led. Even if they got into their own mischief. “I’m hoping they’ll keep each out of trouble as much as they get into it.”

Her husband came to wrap an arm around her waist as they watched the crew and their families down below. There was merriment and light filling the station, everything decorated for the festive season. In an hour, the children would gather around the tree upstairs, and Bobby would retrieve the gifts from the top shelf (eliciting three groans from the boys who would vow to bring a step stool next year). And things would be happy.

“Best to enjoy them when this is the only trouble they can get into, right?” Bobby offered.

Athena smiled. “If only they could stay this young.”


	2. "You Scared The Shit Out Of Me!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You Scared The Shit Out Of Me" + Fun
> 
> Pairing: Hen/Karen (featuring the FireFam)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No content warnings

Hen didn’t realize how far out of their way Karen had driven them until they were turning into the financial district on a Saturday evening; too busy talking and laughing with her wife to notice where she was taking her.

“Where are we going?” She watched the high-rise buildings and upscale restaurants slowly pass by with a curious eye.

“Just to dinner.” The way Karen kept her eyes on the road and a smirk on her face made Hen more than a little worried.

“When did we make plans for dinner?”

“When I booked us a table at this new place downtown.”

“What’s the occasion?” She knew she wasn’t forgetting a birthday or anniversary (she kept those dates safely stored away).

Karen pretended to look offended but paired it with a flirty smile as she continued to drive. “Can’t a woman just show some affection towards her wife for no reason?”

Absolutely, Hen thought, but that’s not what this was. Something was up and she couldn’t help but feel a little cautious about where her wife was dragging her off to. She could push, obviously, dig her heels in and make Karen tell her what was going on, but where was the fun in that?

She sat back in her seat and surrendered. “If you’re paying, you can show me whatever affection you want.”

Things were quiet for a few minutes as Hen stared out the window at the passing high-rises and restaurants. _This whole area just looks the same_ , she thought. Hen was pulled out of her thoughts by the familiar ping of Karen’s phone. The woman grabbed it before Hen could even reach out, stopping at a red light to read whatever text message popped up. She replaced the phone without a word and drove into the intersection at the light change. _Strange_.

Even stranger, when Karen opened her mouth a minute later.

“You know I am so proud of you?”

“Okay...”

“I’m serious. You’ve worked so hard studying for your MCATs and you’re making this big career change. I know it wasn’t an easy decision but you never wavered. And even just the decision to become a firefighter. I wasn’t around when you were training but I know how intense that course is. Your intensity and dedication – the way you care about things so deeply – it is one of the things I love most about you and I am so proud of you.”

Hen was speechless. Where was this coming from? These were things Karen said to her on a regular basis but never in a long speech like that. Something was definitely up. Especially considering that this was the third time Hen had seen that particular restaurant logo.

“Am I dying?” It was mostly a joke but one could never be too careful.

Karen rolled her eyes, slowly pulling the car to a stop outside of the restaurant Hen had taken notice of. “What? No. I just want to tell you how much I love.”

“Yeah but we’ve been circling the block for, like ten minutes.”

“They just weren’t ready yet.”

“Ready for what?”

“Come on.”

In lieu of answering Hen’s question, Karen turned off the vehicle and motioned for her wife to follow. Hen trailed after her, still with a mix of confusion and panic.

“Am I dressed for what you’re about to do to me?” Her attempt at humor was met with a knowing smirk as Karen opened the door for her.

“Surprise!”

Hen jumped at the sight of her friends and family gathered into the restaurant – actually, taking over the entire restaurant, she noticed. What was going on? She looked around at her colleagues and friends, at Denny and Nia, being held by a proudly smiling Chimney, and then around to the room they’d apparently booked for her. Around them, tables and chairs had been pushed together for a more family-style dining experience. The small table was obviously for the kids to sit at but it was still close. The walls were decorated with streamers and above them was a banner that read:

_Congratulations On Passing Your MCAT!_

She was not tearing up – she wasn’t – but she did find herself a little misty-eyed as she looked at the happy faces in the room. She hadn’t had a chance to tell anyone at the 118 about her score but apparently, word travelled fast.

Hen turned to her wife who was triumphantly enjoying her look of awe. “So I’m not dying?”

Karen laughed. “No, they just hadn’t finished setting up the banner.” When she looked pointedly into the crowd, Hen followed her eyes until she caught sight of Buck dipping his head in embarrassment.

“I got a papercut.” He complained.

Hen threw her head back, shaking her head fondly. “Don’t ever change, Buckaroo.”

Everyone began to mingle after that, hugs and kisses her exchanges; many ‘thank you’s and lots of laughter. The staff were all friendly and patient (a necessity with that bunch) and the meal was amazing. The party was in full swing before Karen finally got a chance to wrap her arms around her wife.

“I really am so proud of you, baby.” She murmured into Hen’s shoulder.

The paramedic (soon to be doctor) turned to kiss her gently. How had they both gotten so luck? Hen murmured “I love you” and everything felt right.


	3. "We Can Do This."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We Can Do This." + Hurt
> 
> Pairing: Maddie and Chimney
> 
> This one's sad, folks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Miscarriage

When the doctors finally let him into the room, Chimney couldn’t breathe. He’d spent hours pacing the room while she ran through test after exam, and they wouldn’t let him see her until they were done. She was all alone and he was torn between pushing his way through the doors, and giving them the space they needed to do their work. All the while, he couldn’t get the memory of her voice out of his head.

_Something’s wrong. Meet me at the hospital._

When he’d learned what was wrong, he’d only been able to hold her hand tightly while the doctor explained what life would be like. All he could feel was her hand in his, the rest of the world had fallen away and the only thing he had was his connection to her.

To Maddie, who was all alone in a hospital room where he couldn’t reach her. Instead, he’d paced the hospital floors so fervently, he vaguely considered sending flowers to their cleaning crew as an apology. But none of that mattered now because he was finally allowed to see her.

She looked so small in that bed, pale and tiny. Fragile; in a soft blue gown that blended into the bedding that seemed to swallow her whole. Her hair hung around her face, clinging to bits of sweat and mirroring the tracks of tears on her cheeks. She wasn’t looking at him, brown eyes lost in some distant world, red and tired.

She was beautiful.

When he found his voice, it came out as a strained whisper. “Can I come in?”

Maddie looked up at him and that world she’d escaped to, crumbled away. Fresh tears began to flow as she sobbed “Howie, I’m so sorry.”

He was at her side in an instant, sitting on the edge of her bed. “Hey, no. There’s nothing to apologize for, this isn’t your fault.” No part of his soul blamed Maddie despite his grief seeking an answer. He would never blame her.

“I knew something was wrong.” She confessed to the hands folded in her lap. “I’ve had cramps but they were never that bad. And then there was just nothing. I should have known.”

He couldn’t stand to see her cry but hesitated to touch her. Slowly, he reached a hand in offering.

“Maddie, can I?” She slipped a warm, clammy hand into his without looking, seeking him out as much as he needed her. “You did nothing wrong. The doctor said there was nothing you could have done differently. It just happened.” As cruel as the world seemed in this very moment, those words had become his mantra while they were apart. _It just happened_.

Maddie shook her head, hand held loosely in his. “I feel like I’m being punished. There was a time when I would have felt relieved; I couldn’t fathom bringing a child into my home. But now?” She struggled to raise her eyes to meet his. “I really wanted us to be a family.”

He squeezed her hand even if she didn’t squeeze back. “You and me, are always going to be a family” he assured her. “We’ve got Buck and Albert – people we love. For now, that has to be enough for us.” In the coming weeks, there would be counsellors and support groups; long talks and time spent holding each other against the chaos of the world. In this moment, all they had were each other; and it was enough.

Tears stained their joined hands as the only sound in the room became their ragged breathing. They had no words, no way to make things better. Just them.

After a long moment of silence, Maddie slowly squeezed his hand. “I love you” she whispered. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I do.” His response was immediate. “I love you, so much. I’m so sorry.” Though his own heart was shattered, he knew there was nothing he could feel that would compare to her pain. His dying wish would be for her to know peace; so he offered an apology for the time it would take to heal them both.

“I’m not alone.” Her whisper came out as a prayer, a reminder to both of them, and to the universe.

Chimney held her hand tighter. “Never. Whatever you need, I will be right here.”

“I just…” He could see the cracks in the porcelain and prepared to catch her. “I need you to hold me.” His arms were around her before the words had finished leaving her lips. He held her tightly to his chest and let her sob for as long as she needed.

“Always.” He promised her whatever she needed and he meant it with his entire being. “We’re going to get through this, Maddie.”

She nodded into the fabric of his shirt, and for just a moment, there was a flicker of hope. “Together."


	4. "Do You Believe Me?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do You Believe Me?" + Love
> 
> Characters: Maddie and May
> 
> Being a big sister is a tough job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No content warnings.

“Are you sure about this, May, this is a big decision?” Maddie took another sip of her overpriced coffee, watching the expression of the young woman before her.

“No.” May bit her lip. “Maybe? It’s made more sense than any of my acceptance letters. I feel like I have to at least try, you know?”

“Yeah I do.” Maddie nodded, of course she understood. Though she and May weren’t particularly close, she was more than happy to take the young woman for coffee when she’d expressed some apprehension about her future. Maddie remembered what it was like taking those first steps into adulthood; always questioning her own decisions. But she knew Athena (and subsequently Bobby and Michael) well enough to know that a change in career paths wouldn’t be the end of the world. Still, May looked worried, so she prodded a little more. “So, what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know how to tell me mom.” May confessed in a jumble of words. “She’s going to be so mad when I tell her. She really wanted me to go to USC and she was so excited when I got accepted. How do I tell her that’s not what I want to do? She’s gonna yell.”

Maddie nodded again. She’d witnessed the fierce protectiveness Athena had for her children and had no doubts about how excited she was that May would be attending her alma mater in the fall. Learning that May wasn’t nearly as excited would be a blow but not a permanent one. “Maybe. But she’ll support whatever decision you make. That’s what good parents do.”

May took a long drink of her frothy espresso but eventually conceded the point. Her mother loved her no matter what. This wouldn’t change that. “Do you think my dad and Bobby will be as understanding?”

That, Maddie didn’t know. She could make an educated guess and feel confident in her prediction but she didn’t know the men as well as she knew Athena. “I hope so. I wouldn’t worry too much about them. They will love you no matter what decision you make.” And then, because she still saw uneasiness in the girl’s eyes, she reached a comforting hand across the table. “And if things get a little tough while you’re sorting that out, you are always welcome to stay with me and Chimney. But it won’t come to that.”

May smiled. “I appreciate having the option.”

Maddie was happy to offer, confident that Chimney would be happy to let her crash on the couch, but also that she’d never show up on their doorstep in the first place. She remembered the endless fights with her parents when she was going off to college and then later when she announced that she’d be marrying Doug. Even if they’d fought out of love and concern, she was still grateful to have a friend’s couch to sleep on when she needed space. Whatever the outcome, she wanted May to know that she wouldn’t be alone. 

“You’re a good big sister, you know that?”

“I have been told.” Maddie patted her hand and returned to her own cup.

May watched her thoughtfully for a moment. “Buck’s lucky to have you” she decided.

“And Harry’s luck to have you.” For what little she knew about the siblings, she knew the important role May played in Harry’s life. “Being a big sister is a tough job.”

May rolled her eyes, groaning “especially when your brother is so annoying” which brought a laugh to the other woman’s lips.

“Especially then.” Maddie thought fondly of her baby brother and the journey they’d both taken to get to this point in their lives. She sent up a silent prayer that neither May nor Harry’s journeys would be as treacherous. Whatever came their way, Maddie was confident that the siblings would be there for each other when it mattered most. “It takes a special kind of love, right?”

May gave another, softer smile. “Thanks, Maddie.”

“For what it’s worth, I think a medical apprenticeship will work well for you. Even if it is across the ocean.”

She really hoped she was doing the right thing. No matter what she ultimately decided, May knew she would be surrounded by people who loved and supported her. And that was all she needed. “Me too.”


	5. "It's Okay, You Can Cry."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's Okay, You Can Cry." + Comfort
> 
> Characters: Eddie and Carla
> 
> It's Shannon's birthday...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Dead Spouse

Eddie was ashamed to admit that he didn’t hear the front door open. For all his training, his time spent listening for his son’s cries, his daily need for alertness on the job: he didn’t hear the door open until it was too late.

“Eddie? You okay, sweetie?”

He startled out of his thoughts with a deep breath – when had he stopped breathing? – and a swipe at his eyes threatening to spill over with tears. “Carla, I didn’t realize it was time.”

She was at his side in an instant, taking a familiar seat across the table from him. “I’m a little early,” she assured him, reaching out a hand to cover his. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t, I was just…” he was thinking. He was lost in thought. He was being dragged down memory lane while his son slept in the other room. “It’s her birthday today.”

From the sympathetic look on his friend’s face, he knew he didn’t have to explain who ‘she’ was. It was the same ‘she’ that had haunted him for years. He hadn’t intended to see her ghost today, but sometime between opening his eyes and entering the kitchen to making breakfast, he’d realized what day it was. He hadn’t even pulled the eggs out of the fridge before he was falling into the chair, thoughts drifting away.

“It’s natural to miss her today.”

Eddie shook his head, still unable to meet her eyes. “I always miss her.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

 _No!_ His mind screamed. _You have to stay strong._

_It’s not weakness._

His own mind battled the validity of his emotions while his heart won out.

“I don’t know how to talk to Christopher about her. I want him to grow up knowing about his mother; how kind and beautiful she was. How much she loved him, even if she didn’t know what to do with that love. I want him to always know who his mother was. And that means one day he’s going to have to learn about all the horrible things we did to each other. How I ran away from them, how she spent eight years blaming herself; how I spent the first year after she left reintroducing myself to my son because I had no idea who he was. How ultimately, his mother could only love him from afar.” Eddie sniffled, blinking back tears. “We both failed him except she’ll never get a chance to make up for it. And the truth is, I don’t know if she ever would.”

Silence filled the kitchen for a long time. There were things he’d never prepared to confess but they’d all come tumbling out like they’d been on the tip of his tongue all morning. His body felt numb, exhausted from the mental rollercoaster of the day that had just begun. He had to be at work in a few hours, could he make it through unscathed?

The only thing that he could feel was the thumb, gently swiping over his skin where Carla’s hand was still covering his. Protecting it from the world.

“Being a parent is complicated and but also the easiest thing there is.” Her words slowly broke through the fog. “You do what you think is best for your children and you pray that at least some of it won’t screw them up. But you’re a human being, Eddie. None of us get out of this without regrets or mistakes. Yes, one day you may have to have some hard conversations with Christopher about what you and Shannon went through. But lord knows that child has been through enough.” His chuckle carried no humor. “You don’t have to force those conversations until you’re both ready.” _What if he was never ready?_ Carla squeezed his hand to bring him back. “Miss her, talk about her, but focus on the good things you have here and now. Living in the past – all those ‘should’s and ‘could have been’s – don’t let them distract you from that beautiful boy who needs his father. It’ll all be okay.”

He hadn’t realized the tears had fallen until Carla reached out to wipe them away. “Besides, you’re too pretty to cry this early in the morning.”

Eddie let himself laugh at that and joined his friend in wiping his tears away. “Thanks, Carla. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She looked at him for a long moment, gentle contemplation and fondness in her eyes. “You’re a good man, Eddie Diaz. And you’re raising a good son.”

He believed her when she said that everything would be all right.


	6. "I'm Not Going."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm Not Going." + Angst
> 
> Characters: Michael and Josh
> 
> Angst/Worry with a Happy Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No content warnings.

Josh tapped the button when his system alerted him to a new call. “911, what is your emergency?”

“I’m on the corner of North Larchmont and Rosewood.” Came a ragged voice. “There’s been a collapse at the construction site on the corner. A portion of the building has caved in.”

He quickly typed in the information and dispatched emergency services while he continued to speak. “What’s your name, sir?”

“Michael Grant.”

“Okay Michael, my name is Josh. Do you know if there was anyone inside when it collapsed?”

“Just me.”

Josh paused in his typing.

“Sir, are you injured?”

There was silence for a moment, no doubt as Michael performed a mental catalogue of his body. “I don’t think so” he answered a little hesitantly. “Just a little trapped.”

“Help is on the way.” He saw the notification that fire and rescue had been dispatched and would be there in under ten minutes.

“I hope it gets here soon. I’m supposed to be at my son’s 5th grade graduation this afternoon.”

He was grateful for the opening in conversation. That was all he could do now; keep him talking. “What’s your son’s name?”

“Harry. He’s so excited; his sister is coming back from University to see him. He’s been missing May all year.”

“Harry and May.” Something about those names, matched with the last name ‘Grant’ clicked in his brain. “Michael, do you know an Athena Grant?”

There was another pause over the line, this one shorter than the last. “My ex-wife. Why?”

“You and I have actually met once. At Stavro’s a few months back?”

“Don’t tell me we went on a date and I ghosted you or something.”

Josh kept his laugh to a work-appropriate volume. “No, it was Hen’s birthday. I work with Maddie Buckley, and I know Buck and Chimney, and some of the people at the 118.”

“Huh.” He could hear the small smile on Michael’s face. “Small world.”

“Yeah.” Well, since he knew Michael – sort of – he turned his attention to getting as much information as he could. Keep him awake. “Any idea what caused the collapse, Michael?”

“None – which is a problem, considering I designed the building I’m currently trapped under.” He echoed Michael’s chuckle but noted that his was a bit wheezy. “I actually came to check on the status but everyone was at lunch. Thank goodness.”

“Well don’t be too grateful, we still have to get you out.”

The phone was overtaken by the sound of a strained cough, followed by more wheezing breaths which made Josh more and more concerned. But Michael pressed on with their conversation. “How is Maddie? I heard she’s back from maternity leave.”

“Yeah,” Josh couldn’t smile, even at the thought of his friend, too focused on listening for the slightest indication that things were going wrong. “She’s still a little frantic about leaving baby Catherine at home, but it’s nice to have her back here.”

“Athena always liked her. Her brother, not so much, but she talked very fondly about taking Maddie on that first ride-along.”

He remembered Maddie’s early days when she was still scared and unsure. That would have been right around the time Gloria was fired. Maddie had barely batted an eye, saying something about not letting people get to her. Josh had a sneaking suspicion some of that wisdom came from Athena Grant.

“Well the feeling is mutual. And Buck is definitely an acquired taste. The man is basically a puppy without the housetraining. But a really cute puppy.” He gave a mocking sigh to see if he could pull a reaction out of Michael, see how his lungs were fairing. He was rewarded with more wheezing and gasping; and then silence fell between them.

Before he could call out to Michael, the man responded in a strained voice. “Hey Josh, I’m really glad I’m talking to someone I know while I’m down here.”

“I’m not going anywhere” he promised.

“Good.” More hesitation. “Because I might have lied earlier.” Oh no. “Not lied but…my hands are going numb. Arms, too. I think I hit my head harder than I thought.”

Josh checked the status of the emergency crew and noted, thankfully, that they were already on site. Not too long now. He just had to keep Michael conscious until help arrived.

“Can you move at all? Sit up?” Improve his circulation and maybe get some feeling back. Something to keep him occupied. Josh was officially worried.

Michael almost laughed but now, it was only a breathless stutter; barely audible. “I’m tired.”

“You can’t go to sleep yet. You have to stay awake for Harry’s graduation, right?” No response. “Michael, talk to me. Tell me about May. How’s she enjoying the University of Dublin?” No response. “Michael?” No response. “Michael, talk to me.” No response. “Michael!”

On the other end of the line, there was only silence. No breathing, no movement. Deafening silence. Josh strained his ears, praying for some sign of life. It was always more difficult when you could picture the face of the person on the other end of the line. In his mind, he’d never lost a call because he never let himself dwell. If he lost this one, that streak would be broken.

“Found him, Cap.”

He jumped when he heard a new voice over the line. A somewhat familiar voice but that didn’t matter. The paramedics had found Michael. Josh held his breath and listened.

“I’ve got a pulse.”

“I see some superficial cuts and bruises but nothing serious. Might have bruised his spine, though.”

“Alright let’s get him out of here.”

The sounds of a gurney being raised and ruble being shifted alerted him to the fact that the phone was being left behind.

Desperately, he called out. “Hello?”

His cry was met with more rustling as someone picked up the device. “This is Firefighter Han. We’ve got the patient and we’re transporting him out now. Appears stable.”

“Chimney? Oh, thank god.” He’d never been so grateful for such a small world.

“Josh?”

“Yeah. Is Michael going to be okay?”

“I think so. We’re trying to get him out of here for a better look but I like his chances.”

“Good.” Josh breathed a sigh of relief, letting himself fall back into his chair. “I need friends who get injured less often.”

Over the line, his friend chuckled. “What’d be the fun in that?”


	7. Free Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's Choice
> 
> Pairing: Buck and Eddie
> 
> The FireFam play Fuck, Marry, Kill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: Swearing

Later, they would blame the alcohol flowing through their system. The truth was, it was inevitable.

Eddie slammed his half-empty glass on the table with finality. “No, I am not playing Fuck, Marry, Kill with my co-workers. That’s incredibly inappropriate.”

From beside him, Buck scoffed, bumping his shoulder. “Come on, Eddie, we’re off the clock and if it will keep Chimney from doing more baby research, I’m willing to try anything.” He shrugged, ignoring Chimney’s look of indignation, and hoping his own face reflected the same puppy dog pout that got him a new bike when he was 12. “We’re just friends having a drink and talking in fun hypotheticals.”

“Yeah, Eddie.” Hen smirked with a mocking tone in her voice. “Fun hypotheticals.”

Eddie narrowed his eyes, growing ever suspicious of his friend’s motives. As with most things when it came to the three of them, Eddie surrendered with a sigh. “Fine. But I’m not going first.” He was definitely not going to reveal his choices yet. Not until he’d heard the others. “Hen, of the three of us, who would you Fuck, Marry, and Kill.”

“Easy” she answered without hesitation. “Fuck Eddie, Marry Chimney, Kill Buck.”

Buck clutched his heart in a wounded show. “Hey! That was way too easy for you to kill me.”

Hen only shrugged. “Sorry, baby face, I know where your hands have been.”

Alright, the game was officially on. “Wow. Fine, I’ll go. Fuck Chimney, Marry Eddie, Kill Hen.”

Chimney pointed with his glass, ruefully disappointed at its emptiness. “Careful, Buckaroo, we’re practically in-laws.”

“Ooh, good point.” Buck winced. “I don’t want my sister’s sloppy seconds.” After a moment of consideration, he shrugged and put his own glass to his lips. “Eh, I still want to kill Hen. Go.”

The paramedic rolled his eyes by acquiesced. “Okay… hmm. I gotta go with Fuck Buck, Marry Hen, Kill Eddie.” At Eddie’s faux-offended expression, he patted the man on the arm. “Maddie would never forgive me if I killed her brother. Gotta take one for the team.”

“I’m touched.” Buck responded flatly.

Hen waved off the inevitable bickering that would start between the boys, to turn her attention to the last player. “Alright Eddie, you made us all go before you. What d’you got?”

“Buck.” Eddie finished off his drink before he could second guess his answer.

Chimney figured he already knew the answer but had to ask, if only to see Eddie blush. “To Fuck, Marry or Kill?”

“Yes.”

Apparently, Buck had not known that would be his answer. “You want to Fuck, Marry, and Kill me?”

“Frequently.” Eddie’s eyes went comically wide for a moment before he stared into the bottom of his glass. “I mean…hypothetically.”

Hen found it within herself to grant a small mercy and let his friend off the hook. “Come on, Eddie, that’s not a real answer.”

He sighed. “Fine…Fuck Hen, Marry Buck, Kill Chimney.” Eddie winced. “Sorry, Chim.”

The man waved him off, with a smirk on his face. “I respect that we’ve paired off in our marriages. Very telling.”

Hen had noticed that, too. “Best friends make excellent romantic partners.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more” Buck nodded.

Eddie snapped his head to his best friend, a look of hope he would definitely blame on the alcohol (despite having one glass of ineffective beer). “Yeah?”

Buck would make the same excuse for the way he leaned, never taking his eyes off the man. “Oh yeah, Eddie, there’s been studies.”

An understanding passed between them and Eddie smiled softly. “Good to know.”

That wasn’t good enough for Buck. He raised an eyebrow in playful challenge. “You planning on putting that information to good use?”

Eddie’s face went slack but he pulled it back together in time to seriously consider what Buck was offering.

Hen and Chimney, meanwhile, were very confused – though they had their suspicions about what would happen next. She looked between the boys, hoping one of them would have an answer. “What are you guys talking about?”

Eddie took a deep breath. “Do you want to get married?”

The other half of the table jumped back in surprise and Chimney raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa, I just thought you were gonna ask him out on a date.”

Buck didn’t hear any of it, too focused on Eddie’s offer. “You want to marry me?”

“I thought that was pretty clear.”

His response was almost immediate. “Okay.”

“Yeah?” Eddie absolutely did not have a lovesick grin on his face – if anyone asked.

“I did say I wanted to marry you, too.” And then Buck was retrieving his phone from his back pocket and typing at an alarming rate.

“I don’t know what’s happening right now.” Eddie looked over at his two stunned friends, laughing at Chimney’s look over terror. “Are you two together?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, we’re getting married.”

“I meant before this very moment, were you together?”

“Nope.”

Hen stared at Eddie for a long moment before collapsing back into her seat. “I need another drink.”

“I second that notion.” Chimney slapped the table to steady his rise from his seat. “I’ll be right back.”

Eddie watched his friend leave before turning his attention back to Hen. “Don’t drink too much, you gotta stay standing to be my best woman.”

Hen was oddly touched – not that oddly, she’d been rooting for the boys for a long time. “You want me to be your best woman?”

Eddie’s response was to smirk. “Chimney wanted to kill me. It just makes sense.”

“Well I’m honored to be a part of this hypothetical wedding party.”

She finished off her drink as Chimney returned with four fresh ones for the table.

In time for Buck to close his phone with triumphant finality. “And we officially have a marriage license. It’ll go through tomorrow morning and then we can go down to the courthouse.”

Chimney handed Hen her drink without looking, too focused on Buck’s words. “Wait, you two are actually getting married? How long was I gone?”

Eddie looked at Buck with a fond smile. “When you know, you know.”

Buck returned his own look of adoration, only feeling the smallest fluttering of nerves. This was crazy, right? They were crazy? Maybe it didn’t matter.

Chimney was less sure of their actions, but supportive nonetheless. “Are you at least going to tell your sister that this wasn’t my fault?”

“Nope.” He figured as much.

Hen sighed but raised her glass to the newly engaged couple. “Well, congratulations, Eddie. You will officially get your wish to Fuck, Marry, and (probably) Kill Buck.”

They echoed her sentiment with wild cheers and many, incredulous smiles.


End file.
